A Dark Fate
by Aniron
Summary: Naevien unexpectedly meets Legolas in the dark of Mirkwood. All seems to go well until a gruesome dream determines his and her terrible fate. Can they change this fate with their growing love? Please R&R!!
1. The Leaving

AN: The plot is my own, but the characters and all that belong to the genius Tolkien of course!  
  
Chapter One  
  
The golden sun was slowly rising above the blue hills. Naevien, a girl living in the village near the sloping hills, jumped out of bed. She never liked missing the glorious sun up. She loved watching it, having the first rays illuminate her green eyes, and shine upon her long chestnut hair, and warm her peach skin. She ran out barefoot through the door of her small hut, which she shared only with her dog, Piong. "Come, Piong!" she urged the mutt. The golden haired dog wagged his tail and bounded after her through the grass which was still moist with dew. Finally, they reached their favorite spot to watch the sun; a small rise in the usual flat land on which their village sat. "Oh isn't it beautiful this morning?" Naevien asked no one in particular. Piong panted happily, and rolled around on his back in a forming puddle of sunshine. Suddenly, their peaceful moment was interrupted by the sound of many stomping, livid footsteps and strange, growling voices. Naevien looked behind her to her peaceful village, only to see something horrible, something she least expected. A huge group of orcs were charging into her village. Naevien knew that she must leave her secure and restful home, for nothing will be left of it once the orcs were through. As brave as Naevien usually was, now she was nearly paralyzed with fear. Luck struck her though; the orcs had not yet reached her very house. She dashed, with Piong at her heels, inside her little hut and grabbed a few things she thought would be helpful for her to survive in the wilderness. She found her bag and stuffed it with bread, cheese, and a flask of water. She grabbed her father's belt, and hesitantly, his sheathed sword Nardul hanging unused on the wall. Then she took a cloak hanging on her chair, and finally, with a last view of the only home she ever knew, she departed.  
  
So what did you all think? Ok, please review. This is my first fan fiction. I don't know if I should continue, it's up to you. ( 


	2. The Forest

Chapter 2  
  
AN: Ok before I start Chapter 2, I have to say one thing: I'm sorry the last chapter was so fast paced, I guess it was sort of like a prologue. Also I wanted to get to the Legolas parts! Also, don't make fun of her dog's name. I used this Lord of the Rings name generator for my dog's name and that's what came up. Ok, here goes.  
  
Naevien had only been on her feet for a few hours, and already she was awfully weary. Piong, not quite understanding what had happened, loyally trotted at her side. He sometimes ran ahead but always waited for her to catch up. They were now far away from their little village, and Naevien began to ponder why the orcs attacked it. It was mostly unknown to other creatures, being hidden by the blue hills and surrounding forests. More than ever Naevien began to miss her parents, who left her when she was but an infant. All she remembers of them is what her Grandmother told her, and her Grandmother had died only a year before. Why they left her, her Grandmother always failed to explain. What was wrong with her? Where were her parents? These thoughts made Naevien gloomy, and Piong, sensing this, licked her hand and wagged his tail harder than ever.  
  
"Oh Piong, what would I do without you?" she said with a smile, and scratched behind his soft, golden ear. Piong, sensing his success of cheering up his master, rolled around on his back and kicked his paws in the air. Naevien laughed, and with higher spirits, continued on her journey.  
  
Soon enough, the two companions arrived at an entrance to a shadowy looking forest. Naevien was a bit relieved to come away from the open countryside and into the shelter of the trees, but somehow this particular forest was unlike the ones she played in as a child. It looked more dense and mysterious, and she thought she saw shadows within that did not look very pleasant. Hesitantly, she took a step towards the wood. The she shook her head.  
  
"No, I'd rather not risk it. We cannot enter woods looking so dangerous. Let's just keep walking this path, Piong." She began walking, but found that Piong wasn't following. He was staring into the forest, very still, as if he saw prey. Suddenly, he sprinted towards the forest and before Naevien could yell his name, he disappeared into the darkness.  
  
And what was Naevien to do but sprint afterwards. She ran as fast as her tired legs could carry her, and entered the dark forest. She noticed as she entered the forest, a chill rang through her, and it was noticeably darker. She screamed Piong's name, but the dog was nowhere to be seen. Sharp twigs and branches tore at her clothes, as if they didn't want her to be there. She didn't know which way to go, she blindly ran into the darkness of this forbidding forest in hopes of finding her beloved dog.  
  
Her hopes began to fail, and she stopped running. Panting, she sat down on the cold ground and wept. All of a sudden, she heard growling and barking. She sprang up and ran to where the sound came from.  
  
"Piong!" she screamed as she ran into a clearing. His teeth bared, Piong growled at an unexpected fellow. The dog had an arrow stuck in his shoulder, and was cornering a blonde haired elf against a tree. 


	3. Help From a Stranger

AN: I sorta had this writer's block thing, I couldn't figure out what to make Legolas say. So now that I've thought of it, read away!  
  
Chapter 3  
  
Naevien stared in horror at her wounded dog. Worse still, the elf with blonde hair aimed another arrow, this time at Piong's heart. He was about to release the arrow, when Naevien came to her senses and ran toward him, pushing him against the tree just as he let the arrow fly. It wedged itself into a nearby tree with a soft thud. The elf, startled, recovered from Naevien's unexpected push.  
  
"Is this your beast?" he said with a stern voice and pointed to Piong. Naevien was already at her dog's side, her hand on the arrow in his shoulder.  
  
"Yes," she said irritably, and glared up at him. "And he is no beast, he is my companion, and enemies of his are enemies of mine." He watched her for a moment, not sure that it is safe to turn away for she might do harm, and then walked up to the tree with the arrow stuck inside. He pulled it out with little difficulty, and then placed it back into his quiver. Meanwhile, Naevien quickly pulled the arrow out of Piong's shoulder, and the poor dog whined and turned his head to lick the wound.  
  
"Does your friend show this much aggression to everyone?" The elf asked, gesturing to bite marks on his arm. Naevien did not expect such a question, she knew Piong never attacked anyone, or growled at anyone except in play. But when she looked up and saw the elf's injury, she widened her eyes in surprise.  
  
"No." She said, and came up to the elf in order to get a closer look. "I don't understand. He'd never hurt anyone." As proof, Piong whined softly and laid his head on his paws. He sighed and watched Naevien. As she spoke, she looked into the elf's eyes. She noticed they were so blue, blue as the sky during a fair sunny day, she'd never seen such lovely sparkling eyes. And the elf's hair, so perfect was its style and color, she wanted to feel it to see if it felt as soft and smooth as it looked. The elf chuckled as he looked at how amazed this girl was.  
  
"Have you ever met an elf?" He asked her. Naevien blushed slightly when she realized that he noticed her astonishment. She took her eyes off quickly and looked at Piong. Piong's ears perked up when she spoke.  
  
"Well, no." The elf smiled.  
  
"I am Legolas of the Woodland Realm. You have entered my home." He motioned to the trees around them.  
  
"My name is Naevien, and that is Piong." She gestured to her dog, whereupon hearing his name hopped up and limped towards the two acquaintances. At this Naevien gasped lightly and quietly, as almost to herself, said "Piong, you're limping!" Legolas looked a bit reluctant, and apologized for hurting Naevien's companion.  
  
"I'm sorry for him as well." Naevien searched through her small bag of things that she took along at the beginning of her journey, but no herbs or medicines were to be found.  
  
"How stupid of me!" she exclaimed. Putting her hand to her forehead: "How could I not have packed any herbs?!" Legolas came up to Piong, and crouched down beside Naevien.  
  
"I am sorry that your trouble was of my doing, but if you like, we can take you companion to my home and heal him there." He said optimistically. Naevien smiled. 


	4. Resting for the Night

AN: Well, I'm not getting that many reviews, so you know what that means. Yeah, I might have to discontinue writing this particular piece. I mean, I'm starting to think that no one really reads my stuff, so please review, good or bad, my story!! Well here's Chapter 4!  
  
Chapter 4  
  
"How.much.longer.are we.going to.keep going?" Naevien was huffing and puffing, stepping over rocks and twigs, and fallen branches. She was desperately trying to keep up with Legolas, who was very swift in his step. The forest was still quite dark, but with the companionship of the handsome elf, who seemed to know these trees so well, it felt a little brighter.  
  
"We might have to look for a good place to camp soon." Legolas said, and stopped to wait for Naevien and the limping Piong to catch up. "I feel the night approaching."  
  
"It seems as though the darkness here lasts forever." Naevien said a bit pessimistically, and crouched down to caress Piong. Legolas watched her, and hesitantly, approached them. Naevien looked at him, and for some reason unknown to her, blushed and turned away, focusing her eyes on Piong. Legolas kneeled down beside her and reached his arm towards Piong. The dog stiffened, but then feeling the elf's touch, relaxed. Naevien smiled at her friend's approval.  
  
"See there Piong? He's a nice fellow." Legolas smiled at her words, if not grinned. They sat there for a minute or two, stroking Piong's soft, golden fur. Soon Naevien began to also feel the night, and yawned. Legolas stood up, and looked around them for a clearing.  
  
"Your home, it is still far?" Naevien inquired. Legolas turned to her.  
  
"I'm afraid so." He paused before adding, "It is on the other side of this forest." Naevien sighed, but took off her cloak and placed it on the ground.  
  
The forest was beginning to darken as they spoke, and this was beginning to be more and more noticeable. Soon enough, they could only make out each other's shadows. Naevien noticed Legolas's outline reach towards the earth and slice off some sort of plant with a knife that was in a belt loop about his waist. He chewed on it, and then applied it to Piong's wound. Naevien smiled at the sensitivity of her new companion.  
  
"Thank you, Legolas." She said through the darkness. In some way, she didn't quite know how, she felt Legolas smile. He spread his own cloak on the ground not far from Naevien's, where she already sat. Seeing him lay down upon it, Naevien did likewise. She looked upwards, only to see the treetops stretching up forever. She couldn't make out a single star, so dense was the wood. Piong came up and curled up beside her.  
  
"What is the name of this forest?" Naevien regretted her words, she was afraid she might have awoken the elf. Who knows how fast they fall asleep?  
  
But Legolas wasn't asleep. He was having trouble that night, he seemed unusually alert. And so he was quite thankful that his new lady friend had asked him a question.  
  
"Mirkwood." He answered almost instantly. Naevien shuddered a bit, the darkness was now complete, it made no difference whether her eyes were open or closed, and Legolas's voice seemed to be coming from nowhere.  
  
"You speak Elvish, am I correct?" Legolas chuckled a bit at her words, and then turned to face the direction from which she spoke.  
  
"Yes, my lady, I do." When Naevien heard him call her 'lady', she felt herself blush again. She tried to shake the thoughts that were dancing in her mind away, and yet they remained.  
  
"Can you.say something?" She felt stupid asking this, but she didn't know that the elf was more than happy to speak his native tongue to his new friend.  
  
"Mae govannen." The words sounded like a lovely song to Naevien.  
  
"What does that mean?"  
  
"It means, 'Well met.'" Legolas said through his smile.  
  
"Does your name mean something?" She asked after letting his words and their meaning sink in.  
  
"It means 'Green leaf'." Legolas waited for her reply, but none came. Naevien had closed her eyes, and was falling asleep.  
  
"Quel kaima, arwenamin." He whispered through the quiet rustling of leaves. (AN: That means "Sleep well, my lady.")  
AN: So should I still continue? I guess it's up to you. And this IS going to be a Mary-Sue, the only way it won't be is by mistake. 


	5. The Nightmare

AN: I got some pretty encouraging reviews, so I'm continuing the story on their behalf. Also, it's pretty fun. ;) Well, enjoy!  
  
Chapter 5: Naevien twisted and turned in her sleep. She was having a restless night, even though she knew she must recover her strength for the long walk at dawn. After hearing Legolas's musical language, she fell asleep.  
  
She dreamed that she was walking through a forest just like this one; just as dark and gloomy. But unlike reality, she was alone. Suddenly it was getting even darker, until she could only make out mere shadows. She heard a rustling of footsteps behind her, and was a bit frightened. She quickened her pace, and noticed the footsteps did as well. More alarmed, she began running. The footsteps matched her own.  
  
The branches of the trees bit at her clothes, and she tore through the prickly branches that slowed her down. Suddenly, she came to a wall. She felt it, it was made of hard, cold brick. She started to pound on the wall, but all in vain, for it was to strong for Naevien's young fists. The footsteps got nearer.  
  
Now she could also hear the clanking of armor and heavy, raspy breathing. She put her hands to her face, she had a feeling she did not want to see what was approaching her so hastily.  
  
"Look at me!" the figure croaked hoarsely. As if by some evil magic, Naevien drew her hands away from her face and pressed them to the wall. She looked up at the shadowy form before her, trying to make out features of its face through the darkness. Yet the only thing she saw was a cloaked figure, darker than the forest itself.  
  
"Who are you? What do you want?" She whispered, her voice breaking. Tears of panic stained her cheeks. The figure cackled, and its voice seem to bounce back from the wall and into the forest, and it echoed throughout the woods, as if the trees were passing it back and forth to one another. Then the figure drew a large dark bag from the cloak, and an repulsive, nauseating scent came to Naevien's nose: it was the smell of blood.  
  
Naevien was terrified more than she ever had been in her life. She wanted to run, get away from the figure and his bag and its contents. But as she tried to pull her hands free from the wall, she found that heavy, metal chains had her attached to the wall. She was trapped. And as she thrashed about, trying to break free of the chains, the figure reached into the dark bag.  
  
Naevien screamed as loud as she could possibly bear as the figure tossed Legolas's severed head on her feet. Where his sky blue eyes were now looked like dark, bottomless pits. Suddenly, the wall became to break apart and the figure vanished. Leaking out of the cracks now forming in the once sturdy wall trickled blood, it was unmistakable for its deathly scent. The wall gave way. Naevien's screams were earsplitting to anyone who might have happened to come along then, but of course no one did, and she was alone, drowning in blood and being buried by heavy stones.  
  
She then realized that someone was shaking her roughly. She woke up still screaming, and found that the someone was Legolas, alive and well. Without thinking, she threw her arms around his broad shoulders, before looking at the intense concern on his face, and wept as she had never wept before. In attempt to comfort her, Legolas held her close to him as she sobbed. It was already dawn, and much brighter than last night. Piong whimpered and crawled over to his owner, who was still crying harder than ever. He placed his paw on her leg, and lay there, in silence.  
  
When Naevien's sobs eased into whimpers, she came to her senses and quickly drew away from Legolas. She hastily wiped away her tears, and turned away from the elf.  
  
"Would it hurt you to tell me what you saw?" He asked hesitantly. She looked at him, at his eyes. They were so blue and beautiful that she could bear to remember them as the hollow pits she saw in her dream. Slowly, she nodded. The tears almost came back in her eyes, but she fought them. Legolas saw this, and placed his hand on her's. He smiled a warm and gentle smile, and softly spoke, "Are you hungry, my lady? I have Elvish food that you might like to try." 


	6. Naevien Speaks

AN: Well here's Chapter 6. Finally, right? I should warn you that my writing is not COMPLETELY based on Tolkien's; some ideas besides the plot are my own. Well enjoy!  
  
Chapter 6  
  
After recovering her strength and filling herself with Legolas's foreign food, Naevien tried to brush away the horror of the night before like one brushes dust off a smooth surface. Piong also got to taste a bit of Elvish food, but Naevien mostly gave him some bread from her bag. Naevien splashed some cool water on her face from a bubbling spring nearby, and Legolas did the same. All the while, Naevien felt Legolas's hesitant glances her way. Sometimes she felt the urge to tell him what she saw in her dream, perhaps it meant something to him. Maybe it was something that may happen in the future. But of course that was nonsense, Naevien knew. It was only a dream. Or so she hoped.  
  
With fewer words spoken than usual, Legolas and Naevien treaded onward. Once again, Piong dashed ahead, looking like a golden ray of sunlight himself, and stopped sometimes to wait for his companions. Even Legolas seemed to be walking slower compared with the dog's swift movements. Naevien wanted to say something in a few awkward moments of silence, but when she was about to speak, she didn't know what to say. Finally, something came to her.  
  
"Did you sleep well last night, Legolas?" She said nervously, slightly emphasizing the word 'you'. Legolas looked up at her, surprised that she finally spoke. Yet he was very much relieved that she finally decided to talk to him, that she hadn't completely shut him out of her life because of what she dreamed, which was still a mystery to him.  
  
"Not quite." He paused slightly before saying the next thing. "I was alert and unusually watchful, though I am not sure why." He tried to meet her gaze, but Naevien looked away each time she felt him look at her. 'Was he watchful for her?' She thought, and then blushed at the thought of him caring for her. Naevien took a deep breath and stopped walking, turning to face him.  
  
"Legolas." She spoke softly. He walked ahead a bit, until noticed her stopping. When she spoke his name, he turned and looked at her, puzzled.  
  
"Yes?" Naevien knew she should tell him what she saw, it was bothering her so much now. She knew it might hurt him, maybe even frighten him. But it was nagging at her, and she thought he might know what her dream could have meant.  
  
"I think that I should tell you what I saw in my dream. I have a feeling that you may know what it means." She hesitated, and looked him in the eyes for what seemed like the first time that morning. "If it indeed, it has a meaning." Legolas stepped toward her, giving her his full attention. Piong came running back, panting, pieces of leaves stuck to his fur.  
  
Then Naevien began telling Legolas her dream. She told of her being frightened at the footsteps, and how she reached the wall that seemed to reach forever sideways, upwards, and, if she tried digging, forever downwards. He looked at her with sympathy, and from time to time, felt a strange longing to hold her to him like he did before as she wept on his shoulder.  
  
When Naevien described the dark figure, she saw a flash of fear across Legolas's eyes. She hesitated before going on. When she got to the part where the creature reached into its dark bag, she swayed as if about to faint and leaned against a nearby tree for support. Legolas reached out and took her hand. To his surprise, Naevien gently shook it free. Then, as she looked up into his eyes, she spoke the words she feared the most.  
  
"The item he pulled out, Legolas, was the severed head of someone I know." She looked away. "It was your own." She paused. "And then I died as well. The wall crumbled and fell, and from behind the wall rushed blood that drowned me." This time, she was the one who reached for his hand. But Legolas took more than her hand. He pulled her whole body toward him in a long embrace, so she wouldn't see the horror on his face.  
  
"Yes dear Naevien, this dream did mean something. The creature is a Ringwraith, servant of Lord Sauron. When one dreams something that seems so real, it may mean nothing unless part of the horror was caused by a Ringwraith." Naevien pulled back and stared at him with disbelief.  
  
"This means...that what I saw...it is something yet to come?" Legolas looked at her grimly, then looked towards Piong, who began to whimper grievingly.  
  
"Yes." And just as he finished speaking, Naevien heard a rustling of leaves behind her, along with clanking of armor. 


	7. Who Are You?

AN: Is my story brilliant? Or is it horrible? I wouldn't know because not many people really tell me. Please review, good or bad!! I really need to know what you think. Here's the next chapter, I hope you like it!  
  
Chapter 7  
  
Naevien gasped in fear, visions of her nightmare running through her head, and turned around, her trembling hand on the hilt of her sword, Nardul. But it was not a Ringwraith that stood before her. It was a man, with tangled brown hair looking much like Naevien's except with streaks of gray, dressed in torn and soiled clothes, with weak-looking armor over the top that clanked in a noisy, annoying fashion. He was weaponless, or so it seemed. If he had a sword or knife he hid it well. He had keen green eyes, and his face was scarred from what seemed like many battles. He looked weary and harmless, but Naevien, still on alert, unsheathed her sword. Legolas came up and stood beside her, his hand ready to whip out an arrow as fast as lightning if necessary. Piong though, to their surprise, ran up to the strange man and started happily wagging his tail and groaning with delight as the man scratched behind his ears.  
  
"Piong!" Naevien exclaimed in astonishment. She relaxed a bit, and drooped her sword by her side. She knew that Piong's judgment was usually good, except in the case of Legolas, which she still did not understand. She gazed curiously at the man.  
  
"Who are you?" He looked up and smiled in a friendly way. But he did not answer.  
  
"Who are you?" She asked him once more, more impatiently. The man's smile slowly faded and he looked down at Piong, still sitting by his side and clearly enjoying his company. Naevien grew nervous, and it tempted her to edge towards Legolas for protection. But she stood still and gazed back at the strange man. Suddenly it occurred to her that he looked familiar, but only for an instant.  
  
"Will you not speak? Are you mute?" Naevien was about to give up on the man, she didn't know what to think of the situation or how to deal with him. She was about to turn around and walk onwards, when he laughed heartily.  
  
"Mute? Me? How ridiculous!" He stopped speaking only to laugh once more. Naevien felt as if she was being mocked, and raised her sword. The man's smile faded again and he glared at Naevien.  
  
"I don't mean harm, now. Lower the weapon girl, you're making your old man uneasy." Naevien widened her eyes, and believed she did not hear correctly.  
  
"What?" She whispered. The man shrugged and gestured to her sword.  
  
"Uneasy is what you're making me, I say! Look at how proudly you hold old Nardul! Why, one would think you knew how to use him!" At this he laughed again, and suddenly Naevien realized that this must indeed be her long-lost father. And truly, suddenly memories came flooding back to her and the face became more familiar with each second.  
  
"Father?" She whispered and with a thud the sword slipped from her hand. He smiled warmly, and with a nod of his head, replied, "Ah so my girl finally recognizes her own father. It took you a while really, Naevien. Come here, it has been too long." Naevien came up and hugged her father, and a single tear of happiness to be reunited slid down her cheek. Then when they drew apart, he looked at her, seeing how much she grew. A proud look came to his eyes, and then his gaze drifted to Legolas, who was still standing in the exact spot. Naevien's father's eyes glittered mischievously, and he asked Naevien,  
  
"So who be your, err, companion?" Naevien's cheeks reddened, and she hastily replied,  
  
"It is Legolas. He is taking me to the Woodland Realm in which he lives." Then sadly added, "Our village was attacked, father! By Orcs! And me and Piong have nowhere to go."  
  
"You never told me that." Legolas said, moving toward Naevien and her father. "For a while we were traveling to the Woodland Realm because of your dog's wound, but it seems to have healed." Naevien slowly lowered her head, not knowing what to say.  
  
"So I suppose, you shall...leave us?" She gave flashed a worried look to her father, who looked concerned at his daughter. Legolas stiffened.  
  
"No, no, I didn't say that. You can, you should, still come. You and your family." He said this a bit nervously, but the words cheered Naevien immensely, though she did not show it. She merely smiled.  
  
"You are a good Elf, Legolas." She wanted to take his hand, but was aware of her father, who would make some unwanted remarks to her afterwards.  
  
"Ah,, and so he is an Elf too?" Naevien's father mumbled so only she could hear, and chuckled to himself. Naevien blushed again.  
  
"Let us be on our way. We have only one more day before we reach our destination." Legolas said.  
  
"Yes, let us go! My name be Nurborion, by the way." He said to Legolas. Legolas slightly bowed his head, and replied, "Mine is Legolas. Well met, Nurborion." And with that they started off again, now traveling in a group of four companions.  
  
AN: That's it for now. Don't worry, I'll explain more about her father and all that later. For now I'm tired, and so I'll go! I hope you liked it. Please review, how about at least 20 reviews (I have 18 currently) and I'll post another chapter. There. Bye! 


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